Health club facilities typically perform little or no preventive maintenance on their exercise equipment resulting in unnecessary and costly repairs. Perhaps even more important than repair costs is the negative impact that out of service or malfunctioning equipment has on a health club's membership. It is the more sophisticated computer controlled exercise equipment that is used to draw customers into the club and to keep them as satisfied dues paying members. One reason for the lack of maintenance is that the facility operators usually have very little technical training and hence are often leery of sophisticated, computer controlled exercise equipment. To reduce equipment down time as well as to prolong the operation of exercise equipment, health club facilities are in great need of a means to increase the reliability of the equipment. A properly maintained exercise machine not only reduces repair costs and increases the machine's availability but more importantly insures the safety of persons using the machine.